Claire Nelson, a long-time Point Pelee birder, and former member of the OFO Board, passed on Monday, December 31, after a brief illness. Claire is survived by Michael, her husband of 57 years and also a birder, their four children and partners and many grandchildren.
To know Claire was to love her. She exuded warmth and was as interested in her fellow birders as she was in the birds. Claire could be found riding her bicycle into the park and walking the trails greeting old and new friends. She famously gathered birders for an annual May Pelee party which was a highlight of the season. Claire worked tirelessly for OFO. For many years she and Pat Tozer sold raffle tickets at the convention wearing Pileated Woodpecker masks. No-one could refuse them! Claire served on the OFO Board from 2014 to 2016 where she helped to initiate the annual Gull Weekend in Niagara managed advertising and promotion. She spent countless hours expanding the convention's silent auction which raised significant funds for OFO. Claire's memorial was held yesterday in Leamington. Obituary is here: https://www.reidfuneralhome.ca/obituaries/Claire-Nelson?obId=34265302 With sadness, Lynne -- Lynne Freeman (she/her/hers) lynnef...@gmail.com -- Ontbirds and Birdnews are moderated email Listservs provided by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) as a service to all birders in Ontario. Birdnews is reserved for announcements, location summaries, first of year reports, etc. To post a message on Birdnews, send an email to: birdnews@ontbirds.ca. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Birdnews Moderators by email at birdn...@ofo.ca. Please review posting rules and guidelines at http://ofo.ca/site/content/listserv-guidelines To find out more about OFO, please visit our website at ofo.ca or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists.
